Sports
Alex Fitzpatrick's Zurich Win Raises Questions About PGA Tour Rewards
Winning on the PGA Tour changes a player’s life. Just ask Alex Fitzpatrick.
Long a resident of brother Matt’s shadow, Alex has grinded away in Europe trying to put together a playing career of his own. He had no wins to show for it until he clinched the Hero Indian Open last month.
On Sunday, Fitzpatrick was playing in a PGA Tour event, as he does every year now, alongside his major champion brother at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. They won by a single shot – more on how in a minute – and despite it being a team event, the younger Fitzpatrick received all the perks of a PGA Tour win:
- A full PGA Tour card through 2028;
- A berth into the PGA Championship, his second-ever major;
- A berth into The Players championship for the first time next year;
- And berths into the rest of the signature events of 2026.
That’s … a lot for winning one tournament that you didn’t even win on your own.
The PGA Tour’s critics, most of them decked out in LIV Golf team-branded hats and Twitter avatars, pounced on the apparent hypocrisy. PGA Tour defenders love to call LIV’s closed system anti-meritocratic, only to let a star player’s brother walk in and give him what amounts to a job contract for the next two-plus years.
For once, the LIV bots make a good point.
It was, by my count, Alex Fitzpatrick’s 11th start in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event all-time, including things like the Open Championship and the Scottish Open. He and his brother tied for 11th at the Zurich in 2024, but otherwise his game never hinted that he had the potential of a PGA Tour-level player.
To be clear, winning on the PGA Tour is hard. It’s just harder some weeks than others. Matt Fitzpatrick, the former U.S. Open champion and No. 3 player in the world rankings, was far and away the best player in a weak field at TPC Louisiana. He and his little brother fought off the likes of (checks notes) Kristoffer Reitan and Kris Ventura, Ben Martin and Trace Crowe and Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer.
In the first and third rounds, which used a four-ball (best ball) format, Matt Fitzpatrick did the heavy lifting, accounting for six of their nine birdies on Thursday and six birdies plus an eagle on their outlandishly low 15-under 57 Saturday.
On the final hole during alternate shot Sunday, the Fitzpatricks needed to birdie a par-5 to break a tie and win in regulation. Alex hit their second shot from the fairway to a greenside bunker. Matt stepped in and produced a perfect third shot, his ball stopping less than 2 feet from the cup, allowing Alex to tap in for the life-altering win.
It’s a moment that will make for a tearjerking episode of “Full Swing” next season, but the PGA Tour shouldn’t confuse that with it being good for the sport.
The solution that seems obvious to me is to demote or outright scrap the Zurich from future schedules, something I wrote just last week. But if this gimmicky tournament is bound to remain a part of the PGA Tour, and its team format isn’t going anywhere, the next-best thing would be to split these winner’s perks in half. After all, the two winners are only doing half the work.
The tour already acknowledges this by awarding 400 FedEx Cup points to the Zurich winners instead of the standard 500. So when the next Alex Fitzpatrick comes along, let him on tour, but make it for the rest of the current season, or maybe 12 calendar months. Put him in the next major, sure – guys still need a motive to come to this event – but maybe it’s a bit over the top to include all other signature events.
Otherwise, you’re over-rewarding guys who have one nice week, or are lucky enough to be friends – or brothers – with one of the five best players in the world.
Sports
Pirates place Ryan O'Hearn (quad strain) on 10-day IL
Jul 31, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn (29) walks off the field with assistance in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images The Pittsburgh Pirates placed Ryan O’Hearn on the 10-day injured list on Saturday, after the first baseman/outfielder suffered a left quad strain late in Friday’s 8-7 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
While meeting with the media before Saturday’s game in Cincinnati, O’Hearn said he will miss six-to-eight weeks.
O’Hearn ,33, had to be helped off the field in the ninth after he unsuccessfully tried to beat out a high chopper to second. He hopped awkwardly as he crossed the first base bag.
A free-agent acquisition in the offseason, O’Hearn is hitting .270 in 96 games. His 17 home runs tie his career high, and he has driven in 69 runs.
In a corresponding move, the Pirates activated catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores, Jr. from the seven-day concussion IL. Flores, Jr. has played in eight games for Pittsburgh in 2026, collecting four hits in 15 at-bats, with his first career home run and two RBIs.
Flores, Jr. is in Saturday’s lineup, batting eighth and playing first base.
Also, Antwone Kelly was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis and fellow right-hander Isaac Mattson was recalled from the same affiliate.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sabrina Ionescu (27 points), Liberty surge past Mercury
Aug 1, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) against Phoenix Mercury forward Noemie Brochant (1) in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Sabrina Ionescu had 27 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds and the New York Liberty overcame a 10-point second-half deficit for a 94-92 victory over the host Phoenix Mercury on Saturday afternoon.
Breanna Stewart had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Han Xu had season highs with 17 points and three 3-pointers for the Liberty (17-13), who have won four of five.
DeWanna Bonner had a season-high 25 points along with seven rebounds and Kahleah Copper also scored 25 for the Mercury (11-19), who had a three-game winning streak broken.vAlyssa Thomas contributed 17 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
Jonquel Jones added 16 points and nine rebounds, and her putback gave the Liberty an 89-83 lead with 1:38 left. Rebecca Allen’s 3-pointer on the next possession made it 92-84.
The Liberty swept the three-game season series after winning back-to-back games in New York on May 27 and 29.
Bonner made a 3-pointer after a New York turnover to close the gap to 92-90 with 24.1 seconds remaining after the last of three straight Liberty turnovers.
Stewart hit two free throws with 12.7 left for a 94-90 lead. Thomas’ layup with four seconds left brought the Mercury close, but the Liberty inbounded the ball and the Mercury could not foul as time expired.
The Liberty had a 37-23 rebounding edge, 16 second-chance points and 44 points in the paint.
Ionescu had seven points in the first quarter, when the Liberty scored 11 of the first 12 points and used a late 9-2 run for a 26-15 edge at the quarter. Their largest lead of the game was 13.
Bonner scored eight points as the Mercury closed the second quarter on an 18-9 stretch to get within 46-43 at the break. Stewart, who passed Candace Parker as the 10th-leading all-time scorer in the league Thursday, had six points in the first half.
Noemie Brochant’s 3-pointer gave the Mercury their first lead at 50-48 with 8:17 left in the third quarter.
Copper’s second 3-pointer capped a 12-0 run to give the Mercury their largest lead at 62-52 with 4:06 remaining in the third. The Liberty closed on a 12-1 run capped by Ionescu’s 3-pointer for a 66-65 edge.
The Liberty did not trail the rest of the way.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pirates acquire veteran RHP Camilo Doval from Yankees
May 27, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval (75) delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired right-handed reliever Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees on Saturday in exchange for two prospects.
Doval, 29, is 3-1 with one save and a 4.54 ERA in 44 appearances out of the New York bullpen this season. The Pirates were seeking late-game relief help.
The Yankees received catcher Omar Alfonzo and outfielder Luis Cruz in the deal. New York also included cash as part of the trade.
New York acquired Doval, a former All-Star closer, in a deal with the San Francisco Giants at last year’s trade deadline.
Doval is 29-20 with 109 saves and a 3.53 ERA in 341 career relief outings with the Giants (2021-25) and Yankees. He tied for the National League lead with 39 saves in 2023 when he made the NL All-Star team.
Alfonzo, 22, was batting .238 with nine homers and 35 RBIs in 62 games this season, including 60 for Double-A Altoona.
Cruz, 18, was batting .300 with eight RBIs and eight steals in 19 games for the Pirates’ Dominican Summer League affiliate.
The MLB trade deadline is Monday at 6 p.m. ET.
–Field Level Media
Pirates place Ryan O'Hearn (quad strain) on 10-day IL
Sabrina Ionescu (27 points), Liberty surge past Mercury
